diff --git a/src/python/geoclaw/surge/plot.py b/src/python/geoclaw/surge/plot.py
index 3832a06b6..851f7773a 100644
--- a/src/python/geoclaw/surge/plot.py
+++ b/src/python/geoclaw/surge/plot.py
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ def add_pressure(plotaxes, bounds=None, plot_type='pcolor', shrink=1.0):
         pass
 
 
-def add_land(plotaxes, plot_type='pcolor', bounds=None):
+def add_land(plotaxes, plot_type='pcolor', bounds=[0, 50]):
     """Add plotitem for land"""
 
     if plot_type == 'pcolor':
@@ -436,9 +436,8 @@ def add_land(plotaxes, plot_type='pcolor', bounds=None):
         plotitem.show = True
         plotitem.plot_var = geoplot.land
         plotitem.pcolor_cmap = land_cmap
-        if bounds is not None:
-            plotitem.pcolor_cmin = bounds[0]
-            plotitem.pcolor_cmax = bounds[1]
+        plotitem.pcolor_cmin = bounds[0]
+        plotitem.pcolor_cmax = bounds[1]
         plotitem.add_colorbar = False
         plotitem.amr_celledges_show = [0] * 10
         plotitem.amr_patchedges_show = [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0]